The Issue of Love and War
by Kaitune
Summary: With no more war to worry about, Ichigo and Rukia try to develop their relationship. On the other hand, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra can't yet figure out why they betrayed Aizen. Little do they know that they might share the same reason.IchiRu.GrimHime.UlquHime
1. Visitors

Disclaimer: Bleach and its characters belong to Tite Kubo The Great, not me. Yet, I own the plot of the situations happening in this fiction though.

**Spoil****: Up' til chapter 291. If you have already knew Nel and her true form, there will be no spoiler for you.**

Warning: Although I rate this story M, sex and violence aren't the focus of my story. It will be more about the character's daily life and romance. However, there are sexual references, talks about sex and sex-related jokes. There are mentions of death and violence will occur sometimes in the story. If you see M, and come to read this story hoping for hot sex scenes, you will probably be disappointed. There will be some sex scenes in the story after the romance is well developed (please be patience) but there aren't plenty and they won't be in details. As I said previously, sex isn't the point that I am focusing on. However, I would rate it M just to be safe because it still contains quite an amount of mature issues. By the way, main pairings in this story are Ichigo/Rukia, Grimmjow/Orihime and Ulquiorra/Orihime. (No, it isn't threesome but it is indeed a love triangle) If you don't like these pairings, don't read this.

Note: This is AU as no one but Tite Kubo knows how the war with Aizen would end. It is canon through chapter 291 (because Nel is included in this story). There will be further note at the end explaining some points in the story that you may be curious about.

Hope you will enjoy this story. Comments and Critics will be gladly welcomed.

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_The air was thick with the smell and taste of blood. Countless bodies lied on the ground, their eyes were emptied. There was nothing left in sight apart from the deaths…_

…_and two men who could still force themselves to stand._

"_Kurosaki Ichigo, you are really much better than I had expecteds." Aizen gave the younger boy a smirk. "It is really a waste to kill a man with this much of talent. If only this can end another way"_

_Ichigo tried to look away from Chad's body and concentrate on the man in front of him. His body was heavy, almost too heavy to move, but he could probably force another move. He held Zangetsu tighter and prepared for one last attack._

"_This is the only way it can end, Aizen"_

…

_**RingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRingRing**_

…

"Shut the fuck up, you stupid clock!"

Ichigo slammed his fist on the innocent alarm clock but didn't bother to get up. He kept lying on his bed thinking about the dream which he just had.

The war with Aizen had ended two years ago. Yet, it wasn't easy to just let it go. It never would be. He had lost too many. Orihime, Ishida, Renji and many others did survive. Yet, Chad and many others didn't. He remembered how Ikkaku's blood sprayed on his face as the bald shinigami's head was parted from the body. The image of Matsumoto, who was hugging Ichimaru before she gave a final blow that killed both of them, appeared in his dream every once in a while. The sad but relieved dying smile of Ichimaru, a fuckin creepy bastard who he never really liked, even struck in his mind.

But he had to move on.

Everyone lost something in that war. Many people had died willingly in order to help him finishing off Aizen in the end, and those people would be pissed off if he spent the rest of his life mourning over their death like an emo-bitch. All of them had chosen to fight and death wasn't something that they weren't prepared for.

However, that didn't make it any easier to cope with their death.

The first few months, he cried alone at night while tried to put on a fake happy face at school. It was the same with Orihime and Ishida, trying to pretend that they were fine. When the first year almost passed, he finally at least learned to enjoy life again. It was almost tearful when he found that he could actually laugh for the first time in many months.

Now that two years had past, he could deal with it a lot better than before. He could talk about it with Orihime and Ishida. Even though it was indeed sad to think about, it was no longer unbearable. At least, they could be themselves again without pretending.

But it would be better if only they could meet people from Soul Society again. It had been two years since he had met Rukia and others. He could understand that they were busy tidying up the damage that Aizen had done to Soul Society. Even Urahara was called back and his crime was pardoned due to the lack of people. However, it would be better if he could see them again. If it wasn't for the memory that he shared with them, how they tidied up the mess in the human's world was almost like they never existed in the first place. It was crap. He had fought together with them in such a war, and now they just disappeared from everybody's life.

He didn't even know why he bothered to buy that stupid rabbit doll when he spotted it at a shop some days before. It had been two years, what made him suddenly felt that he might see Rukia again?

"Crap…" he signed. He had to get this thing out of his head. A bath would take too long but a shower sounded fucking blissful.

He got up and walked into the bathroom. It wasn't until he stripped off his pajama that he sensed familiar spirit energy. Rukia? After two years of no contact? That would be too random. If some shinigamis were going to come to visit, they would probably notify him before hands. It might be hollow or something worse. Due to the effect from the war, many hollows had evolved into something that was surely not arrancars. They were stupider and less powerful than arrancars but still much more powerful than average hollows. However they somehow developed a favor to attack people with high spirit energy so his family was one of their favorite targets.

The source of this certain spirit energy was now in his house and there wasn't much time to think. Even worse, the energy quickly increased its amount. Yet, it wasn't really that similar to the new kind of hollows'. He wrapped himself with the nearest tower before rushing out to take a look.

When he reached the stair, he heard such a familiar voice. His heart beat faster in delight. There was no hollow but a friend who he had been longing to see. Rukia made a surprise visit!

However…

As he was turning back to the bathroom, the stupid stuffed lion doll known as Kon was speeding towards the stairs and hit him in the stomach hard enough to send both of them rolling down the stairs into the dining room.

Kon was over his face so he couldn't see anything but he could feel that people in the room were looking at his half-naked self (Thank God, he still had the tower!).

Shit… Rukia was surely going to laugh about this for the entire year!

"Nee-sannnnnn!!!" he could hear Kon beamed excitedly. However, the damn thing stopped for a second before beamed again. "Another sexy Nee-san???!!! God, I always know you are real!!!"

Another (sexy) woman?!!!

He threw Kon off his face (into the nearest bin) and looked at the table. His jaw dropped as he found the smirking Rukia (who was trying her best not to laugh insanely) and Nel.

Being seen by Rukia was bad enough; he didn't need another female to giggle about this certain accident!!!

"Ichigoooo!!! I miss you soooo muchhhh!!!"

Completely ignoring his naked state, Nel hugged him happily. He would be happy to see her too if it wasn't for a fact that he was naked and Nel's inhumanly strength was breaking his back.

"I know that you will be happy to see Rukia but I have absolutely no idea that you will go as far as uncivilly storming out of your bathroom with almost nothing on your body" another familiar voice spoke. To Ichigo's terror, he turned his face from Nel's breast to find Kuchiki Byakuya in his shinigami form sitting at another side of the table with his father (who was giving his own son a thumb-up for his current situation with Nel)

"Where is Karin and Yuzu?!" Yuzu couldn't really see Shinigamis but Karin could see them as clearly as he could. Thank God that Rukia came in a human form but how could he explain about Byakuya to his sister?

"Don't worry about it. I had already explained about the whole shinigami thing to them. They are taking it rather well" Isshin smiled like this situation was the most normal thing could ever happen. "By the way, they are talking to our other guests in the kitchen"

_Other_ guests???!!!

His curiosity (and terror) was soon answered by a sneer which he had heard too many times two years ago. No… It couldn't be…

"I never know that you are such an exhibitionist"

"Grimmjow!!!"

The arrancar walked out of the kitchen to admire his shameful pose. As if things weren't worse enough. Grimmjow was also accompanied by Ulquiorra (who looked at him with a distasteful expression) and Orihime (who acted like she didn't know whether to cover her eyes or to look). Interestingly, they seemed to be in human form as their broken masks and their hollow holes were missing. Karin and Yuzu peeked out of the kitchen and couldn't stop themselves from giggling.

He really hated his life.

"What the hell are all you guys doing here!!!" For two years, they had disappeared from his life. Then they just suddenly had a surprise visit to laugh at him in his most absurd form. "Don't say that it is only because you feel like visiting me!"

"Nah… That's only one of the purposes although seeing you half-naked is clearly a bonus" Rukia laughed.

"Then, what's kind of fucking mission would involve bring these two bastards to my house!!! They are arrancars!!!... Ah… No offence on you thought, Nel" Ichigo made a further note to kill Kon _brutally_ while trying to free himself from Nel's hug.

"They are betrayals" Byakuya added. "…although I am also not too happy with the fact that one of them (the man gave Grimmjow a threatening look) did try to kill Rukia"

One of the things Ichigo would never going to understand was Grimmjow and Ulquiorra's betrayal. When Aizen was going to kill Orihime, Ulquiorra interfered and took her to the Soul Society. Shortly after that, it seemed that Grimmjow had some problems with Aizen and left the side. It never made any sense to him. He could understand why Grimmjow betrayed Aizen. This guy wasn't the type to take anybody's order. However, he couldn't understand why Grimmjow ended up helping the Soul Society's side. It was also the same thing with Ulquiorra's case. While he was glad that the creepy bastard saved Orihime, it was suspicious why Ulquiorra decided to help her, considering the arrancer's loyalty to Aizen and the fact that he was the one who kidnapped her in the first place. After the war, the Soul Society locked them to investigate their motive. From the last time that Ichigo heard any new about them, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra still kept their mouths shut.

Nel was another arrancar who survived but this was a completely different case. He really felt that he could trust her. She may be an arrancar but her true nature was very honorable and warrior-like. He wasn't happy when she was locked up like the other two espadas but Rukia and Renji had promised him that they would make sure she got out as soon as possible.

Now Nel was freed and fine as well as these two bastards. Had the Soul Society lost their mind? How could they consider Grimmjow and Ulquiorra trustable?! They should be locked up somewhere else forever, not standing here freely in Karakura high school student uniform…

…Wait a minute…

"WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING IN KARAKURA HIGHSCHOOL'S UNIFORM!!!"

Ichigo panicked at his latest notice. The three arrancars were in his high school uniform. He had a very bad omen that this had something to do with Rukia (or Byakuya)'s mission that sent her and these arrancars here.

"Considering your physical skill, your brain is painfully slow" Ulquiorra commented.

Ichigo looked at Orihime who smiled nerverously. Byakuya gave another death-threat glare to Grimmjow. His father and sisters tried their best not to spill the bean. Nel hugged him even tighter. Ulquiorra didn't seem to give anything a damn. Grimmjow glared back at Byakuya. Rukia smirked.

"Say hi to your new classmates"

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Author's note:

The first thing I would like to say is… English isn't my first language so if there are grammar mistakes, I am truly sorry about that. I have corrected some of them but I think that there are still some left. Hopefully, they won't affect your enjoyment. If you find some big mistakes, please feel free to notify me. I will be grateful.

About this certain plot… My version of what-would-happen-after-the-war-with-Aizen-end and what-would-happen-if-arrancars-come-to-live-in-human-world are probably a bit different from others. I am not really into angst and I definitely won't go this way. It is why I give the story the gap of two years after the war had ended. We all know that Ichigo and others would be sad and emo for a while after the war end (because they probably lose someone, or at least losing their innocence). I rather interest in how their lives would be after they have done enough of the grieving. For the arrancars, who were created for the sole purpose of fighting and it seemed to be the only thing that they knew about, they will be a bit clueless about human's way of life but they won't be too clueless. I interest in focusing more on how their feeling toward their human lives as well as their feeling for Orihime develop rather than the comedy side.

For Ichigo's daddy, I guess that he would probably come out to Ichigo sometime during the war. I don't think that he would do the same with Yuzu and Karin because he would fear that they may feel like trying to help, especially Karin. However, Karin would probably notice and suspect about it so it is why she takes the sudden shinigami-arrancar talk rather well. Yuzu is probably quite confused and a bit worried but still trying to keep her cool as she sees that Karin seems fine with it. I think it is Isshin's nature to suddenly explain things like that, and his children have learned to live with this long ago. After all, they are family.

If you wonder why only Orihime is presented at Ichigo house, not Ishida, I will explain it in the next chapters.

For Nel… I decide to include her because she is just so lovable!!! However, she will also have her own romance even thought it won't be the main focus of the story.

If somebody is curious about the name 'The Issue of Love and War' and wonders what war has to do with this story, the reason is mainly because, in this fiction, love is indeed the new 'war'.

The next update will be next week. Thank a lot for reading and reviewing.


	2. The omen of the new war

Today was definitely one of the worst days of Kurosaki Ichigo's life.

He was sent rolling down the stairs half-naked by a stupid porn-loving stuffed lion doll.

That particular action was witnessed by eight people; two younger sisters, one idiotic father, two female friends, a friend's protective elder brother, a sexy woman with oversized breast and amnesia, and two bastards who had tried to take his life.

To top all of those, these said bastards were also going to be his classmates.

…and he only had waked up for two hours… He still had the rest of the day for all the bad stuff to slam into his face!!!

"Ichigo, you look pissed. Aren't you happy to see me?"

His eyes twitched a little when Rukia made a comment.

"Two fucktards had seen me half-naked and now I am taking them to school to be my classmates for the rest of the year. How the hell I am supposed to feel?!!! Happy?!!!"

"Sure! I am going to be your new classmate too. This should be good enough to overcome the bad side, right?" Rukia laughed before suddenly pulling a sad face. "Is it because you don't love me anymore? Are two years really too long for you to wait? You have already got yourself a new sexy busty girlfriend? I am so sad! I am going to cry with Nee-sama and tell every single person about this morning's event"

It was indeed a mistake to confess his love to her two years ago but at the time he wasn't sure that he would survive the war to tell her or not. Thankfully, the only witness of the desperate love confession was Ishida who was quiet enough not to tell anyone, especially Byakuya, about it. Rukia didn't reply. She only blushed and punched him.

"That was just out of desperate!!! I was fifteen and I thought that I was going to die without getting laid!"

Rukia punched him.

"Okay… So much for the romantic talk!" Ichigo mumbled while looking back at the three arrancars and Orihime who was walking behind them. Nel was too busy chatting with Orihime. Grimjow and Ulquiorra weren't into walking side by side with him. They should be far enough not to hear his conversation with Rukia. "Now, can you explain to me about this latest idiotic plan that the Soul Society had came up with?"

"Your education system is so great that we think it might help to convert these bastards into decent gentlemen"

"Are you joking?"

"Of cause I am" Rukia answered without a blink. "To be honest, I don't really know much about the reason behind this mission. Nel wasn't locked up for long because her motive in changing the side was clear although we couldn't allow her to travel freely and come to see you. For Grimjow and Ulquiorra's cases, every captain had talked to them but couldn't get anything out. At least they volunteered much more than what we had expected by not trying to break out. However, they were surely running out of patience, especially for Grimmjow. To keep them longer won't do any good anyway and it would be hell to deal with two pissed off espadas. Moreover, due to the weird evolution of many hollows, people fear that there might be another war, and it would be a hell lot better to have arrancars by our side rather than to have them against us."

"So they decide to give them freedom? Don't tell me that the captains send them here hoping that they would grow some affection toward humans by staying and studying in our world?"

Rukia sighed. "It is what I was told. I think there is surely more reasons behind this but this is probably the most they are going to tell us. They get me to do this mission because I am the only available vice-captain, the captains are too busy and other vice-captains have to deal with paper works while their captains worry about other things."

"You are now a vice-captain?!"

"Yep 10th division's vice-captain, replacing Rangiku-san. But I don't have anything to do because Captain Hitsugaya does all paper works anyway. It is probably just that he can't get over the feeling of losing his old vice-captain yet. I bet he still has Ichimaru voodoo dolls under his bed." Rukia explained grimly. "He is getting better thought. Captain Hinamori is helping him a lot. After all, she had been through a similar situation."

They were both quite for a while before Ichigo could get himself to say something to change the mood. "You said that all captains are busy as hell but your brother is here. What kind of important Shinigami's business brought him all this way only to talk with my old man."

Rukia smirked in a way that he really disliked it. "It is surely important. Every elder brother would be worry if his pretty sister has to live in the same house with a teenage male. I am actually a little worry myself that you will become a wolf and sneak in my room tonight."

Ichigo blushed. It wasn't because Rukia was going to live in his house. She had been living here twice anyway. But it was because of her latest comment. The thought of sneaking in her room at night somehow really provoked him to think what he shouldn't think, not that he was going to accept it anyway. "What kind of mad man will find your flat body provoking? Renji may have a thing for you but that would probably mean that he is a pedophile!"

Rukia punched him again.

Even though their conversation wasn't heard by any, their action was rather clear to observe. From Orihime and arrancars' point of view, Ichigo said something then Rukia punched him, and they repeat the action again in a few minutes.

"What the fuck are they doing?" Grimjow mumbled annoyingly while glaring at the idiotic couple.

Ulquiorra simply looked with no comment.

"Is it human's way of showing affection? Should I do it too?" Nel asked eagerly.

"Ar… No" Orihime quickly corrected the misunderstanding. The strength of Nel's hug could already kill a man. There was no need to see what her punch could do. "This is Kuchiki-san and Kurosaki-kun's own way of… ar… expressing their feeling toward each other."

"I see… That's so sweeeet! I'm jealous!"

Orihime and other two arrancars looked at Ichigo who was now lying on the ground as the result of Rukia's latest punch. They just couldn't notice anything that they should be jealous of.

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As soon as they reached school, other students quickly took interest in the arrancars and Rukia, and it wasn't because they were new students.

"That's Kuchiki-san! Does her family move back to Karakura?" male students beamed happily before they were quieted by Ichigo's glare.

"Are these three new students? Are they foreign-exchange students?"

"I don't know… But… I don't care! That chick is surely something! Another busty beauty for our school! I can't be any happier!!!"

"Awwww!!! Those guys are also hot! I hope they will be in my class…"

Ichigo had no idea that the students would be this excited. Orihime also looked slightly confused. However, Rukia sighed like she had already expected this beforehand.

"You may not notice it before but they are very attractive" Rukia explained dryly to her confused friends while the arrancars' attention turn towards the crowd around them. "I didn't notice it before too. I guess that probably having something to do with almost being killed by one of them. Or may be, living with Nii-sama has set my beauty-standard pretty high. However, when they were locked up in Seireitei, they earned themselves a great number of secret fan clubs without even knowing it."

"Shinigamis?!!! Arrancars' secret fan clubs?!!! What the fuck?!!!" Ichigo's eye became wildered with horror. Orihime studied Grimmjow and Ulquiorra carefully, then she blushed.

"I know… As stupid as it sounds, this is real… You, Orihime and Ishida also have your own fan clubs too. You just don't know it"

Extremely terrified by this fact that he had just heard, Ichigo quickly decided that he had heard more than enough about the fan club thing, and speeded up to get to the classroom. Orihime smiled nervously before getting the arrancars to follow Ichigo to the class.

Rukia smirked slyly. This would indeed keep Ichigo away from Seireitei for a while. She hated the idea of him meeting with his (female) admirers, not that she was going to accept it to him anyway.

"Moring Ichigo" Mizuro greeted as he walked into the classroom "You looked a little pale today. Is everything okay?"

Ichigo gave a tied smile back as an answer and walked to Ishida who sat with a sobbing Keigo. (These two had become friends during the past two years.) "What's happened?"

"His girlfriend left him again, this time for real" Ishida replied plainly. Ichigo could imagine Keigo came to school crying, then being ignored by Mizuro and going to Ishida for comfort. According to Ishida's expression, it was just hard to try to sympathize with Keigo.

Ichigo tried his best to look like a sympathetic friend and softly patted Keigo's back a few time. He then looked at Ishida seriously, "Be prepare for this morning homeroom class."

The man looked confused. He turned to Orihime for some hints or explanations but she only smiled back palely. Despite the Quincy's quite nature, he was in horrible rage when Ulquiorra was locked up but wasn't severely punished. It took two captains to prevent the enraged man from doing the execution by his own hand.

Ichigo figured out recently that Ishida probably liked Orihime. Love would be the only reasonable factor that turned a calm man into an insane idiot.

He highly doubted that Ishida would friendly welcome the new classmates.

"Welcome your new classmates"

A grumpy middle-aged man, the homeroom teacher started the class. He gave an annoyed look at the new students who all had such an eye-catching hair color. The only person spared from the irritated glare were Ulquiorra who wore his uniform so properly to the point that a teacher couldn't ask for more, and Rukia who surely knew well the ways with teachers.

Ishida's face was indescribable. It was a mixture between not-believing-what-is-happening and murderous intention. He soundly crushed the table's edge with his bare hand but no one bothered to notice. Other students were all busy drooling at their new friends, including Rukia whom most of them had already known. Ichigo quietly made a note to himself that there were surely too many male students in class and it would be okay to kill some.

"Introduce yourself"

Grimjow grumbled annoyingly at the teacher's request but acknowledged that he would have to do this sooner or later. "Yamaguchi Hiroshi. CALL ME GRIMJOW OR I WILL FUCKIN KILL YOU. JUST STOP LOOKING AT MY HAIR TOO! THIS IS NATURALLY BLUE!!!"

"Yamada Shoutarou" Ulquiorra followed with his own introduction quietly before adding, "Call me 'Ulquiorra'"

Ichigo almost couldn't hold his laugh. He couldn't believe it! Soul Society thought that if they gave these guys some Japanese names they would fit in???!!! Well, he knew that Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and Ulquiorra Schiffer were no normal name but it was just ridiculous! Moreover, they got such lame names!!! Were this some kinds of weird Shinigami's jokes? May be Byakuya was behind it, doing this as some kind of revenges for his sister?

No… That would be too idiotic for a guy like that…

"I am Kuchiki Rukia. I think most of you had already known me. Nice to meet you all again!"

Rukia faked the silly lady smile, which every guy in the class fell for. Ichigo sneered quietly before suddenly, to his shame, realizing that he blushed slightly. Thank God, she didn't notice it.

"Neliel Tu Oderschvank!!! I like Ichigo and I would love to like all of you too!!! Oh!!! By the way, you can call me 'Nel' for short!!!"

Obviously, Nel had forgotten her Japanese name.

Yet, no one took interest of her weird name. Guys beamed soundly shouting "YOU CAN LOVE ME" like drugged hyper hamsters. For girls, they hadn't finished drooling at the two male arrancars yet.

Ichigo sighed tiredly. He had already had enough insanity for a typical day. Unfortunately, this was probably how other days of his life would be from now on.

Orihime tried to cope with everything normally. She smiled as if she was just welcoming some ordinary students. Although she still seemed quite confused with the class's current weirdness, Ichigo knew that she would soon deal with this finely. Orihime could deal with weird situation better than he could ever do anyway. She would be fine.

However, the stupid Quincy was surely far from fine. Rukia had betted with him how many days would take Ishida to crack and try to murder Ulquiorra. He went with a week while she believed that it would take no more than a day. The bastard better kept his cool well.

"Ichigo…"

Keigo murmured dreamingly. Ichigo sensed a bad omen, a very bad one.

"I have fallen in love… I know God has destined me to be with Nel-san"

…

'As if this isn't yet crazy enough!!!' Ichigo complained silently. Now, he started to miss the peacefulness during the past two years. May be it would be better if these guys stayed in Soul Society. However, when he looked at Rukia who glowed beautifully as she walked towards the empty seat next to his own, he decided that he could stand some craziness for this.

After all, no man could wish for a normal life when he fell for a shinigami.

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Author's note:

Phew… Finally! The second chapter!!! Yay!!!

In this chapter, there is more information on the shinigami-side after the war.

_Hitsugaya_ – I don't usually think of him as the angst type. However, losing his own vice-captain in front of his eyes without able to do anything, did certain damage to him. However, he still had hard time adjusting to his new vice-captain. It is too bitter to accept anyone in Rangiku's place yet. Especially now that Soul Society tries to move on pretending nothing has gone wrong, he feels that if he accepts the replacement, it is the same as forgetting her. It isn't that he dislikes Rukia thought.

And YES… Disturbingly, about a year ago, Rukia accidentally came across her captain's secret voodoo collection… From her point of view, the face Hitsugaya made when he knew what she had found, was even scarier than a bunch of Gin's

_Hinamori_ – I believe that after the war, she would be one of those who have grown up the most. When one suffers the most, if he/she doesn't grow up and become stronger to the point that the past can no longer affect them, he/she would break down. In this case, I choose to believe that Hinamori would grow up. Now her role and Hitsugaya's are switched. Previously, he was her mentor. However, since he suffers from emotional problem and Hinamori has the experience of losing someone important before (the betrayal of Aizen is the same as the death of the Aizen she had known), she is helping him overcome his issue.

There will be more about the other survived shinigamis and Soul Society in the later chapters, and I would say that Ichigo wasn't the only one who confessed his love during the war…

Hope that you enjoy this chapter. Thank a lot for reading. If there is any question or you spot some grammar mistakes, please feel free to notify me.


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